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Old 12-18-2008, 08:59 PM   #1
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additional heater advice

I need additional heat capacity. I was thinking about getting this model. Is there a list of do's and don'ts for a ventless LP heater that I need to be aware of?

-thomas

Ventless Propane Wall Mounted Heater~LP Heat~10K BTU - eBay (item 380085669931 end time Dec-28-08 14:26:11 PST)
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Old 12-18-2008, 09:11 PM   #2
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A lot of use the Olympian Wave heater similar to that shown in Zep's very fancy installation. It's an infrared design that works well. Ours is mounted to the galley partition in our 31'er.

Zep's link is below.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f427...ion-46720.html


I'd make sure whatever I got was suitable for RV use.
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Old 12-19-2008, 08:08 AM   #3
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Hoghide

There are two things that can lead to problems with any fossel fuel ventless heater installed in a small space. Carbon monoxide and oxygen depletion. One of the products of combustion is CO. CO is absorbed in your blood steam instead of oxygen causing sickness and/or death. There are catalitic type heaters that drive the chemical combustion process to carbon dioxide, CO2. These heaters take their combustion air from the space that they are installed in and over a period of time use up the oxygen in the space leading to death by asphixiation. Either outcome is not good. Get an electric heater or a furnace that takes outside air for combustion AND discharges the products of combustion to the outside.
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Old 12-19-2008, 09:02 AM   #4
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Heaters

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoghide View Post
There are two things that can lead to problems with any fossel fuel ventless heater installed in a small space. Carbon monoxide and oxygen depletion. One of the products of combustion is CO. CO is absorbed in your blood steam instead of oxygen causing sickness and/or death. There are catalitic type heaters that drive the chemical combustion process to carbon dioxide, CO2. These heaters take their combustion air from the space that they are installed in and over a period of time use up the oxygen in the space leading to death by asphixiation. Either outcome is not good. Get an electric heater or a furnace that takes outside air for combustion AND discharges the products of combustion to the outside.
Can you suggest models / brands?
Thanks, J
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Old 12-19-2008, 09:08 AM   #5
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Lots of us use catalytic heaters safely. The main concern is to have a fresh air source. This may seem counter-productive, but these heaters use oxygen out of the cabin air supply and it must have a source to replenish it so there'll be enough for you. Leaving a window open a bit is sufficient. The manual that comes with the heater will explain it all.
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Old 12-19-2008, 09:09 AM   #6
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Check out electric utility heaters sometimes called "milkhouse heaters"- Home Depot and Lowes usually have them, as do other hardware or farm/ranch stores. Or Ebay. They are 1500 watt, with fans, not especially pretty, but put out a lot of heat.
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Old 12-19-2008, 09:11 AM   #7
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DeLonghi TRN15F1T Oil-Filled Radiator Heater. This is the heater I use. It is the smaller version and it heats up very nicely.


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Old 12-20-2008, 09:44 AM   #8
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Hoghide

It is true that a lot of people use catalitic heaters with no problem including my own parents. I was always on edge when I knew they were traveling and using that heater. I believe that CO2 is heavier than air and will tend to lie in the lower areas of the enclosed space. Leaving a window open will certainly help but is not foolproof if there is no wind or a fan running to circulate the air inside the trailer. This happened to a local family with their school bus camper. Fortunately a family member awoke and realized his groggy condition and got the others out. Everyone chooses what level of risk vs cost they are willing to assume, just make an informed choice.
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Old 12-20-2008, 12:41 PM   #9
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I have to agree with Hoghide (except I don't believe CO2 is heavier than air, but propane is) about potential danger.

For boondocking, a catalytic heater is very efficient—no power drain and no need to pierce the trailer body. It is radiant heat and thus heats the objects rather than the air, making it easy to replace the air by leaving a window open (better to do two to increase air exchange) and not losing too much heat. I even used one years ago in a Microbus we sometimes camped in.

But, if not set right, there will be some unburned propane. Thus a propane detector is obligatory. I used a catalytic heater yesterday to heat up the front of the pickup while I changed the oil. I could smell propane from time to time, but the garage is large and open, so I didn't think it would blow up. The problem with that heater may be the orifice. There are different orifices for different altitudes and one too large and high altitude will not burn all the gas. I live at 6,837' and I doubt this little heater that mounts on a propane bottle has a high altitude orifice.

Anytime anything is burned, there will be some products that may be dangerous to your health. There's no easy way to measure them. We may not know the results for years. Over and over we have found out that burning stuff can produce dangerous though invisible chemicals. I certainly wouldn't use it while I slept. And how does it keep the water tanks warm?

The milkhouse and other heaters are all electric and need 120 v., so they don't work for boondocking unless you want to run the generator for many hours. I think there are solutions—charging batteries with a generator, solar panels, better batteries.

I know lots of people use catalytic heaters and no dead people have reported problems on the Forum. I'm sure the problems with asphyxiation are relatively low and a few windows opened a bit can probably solve that. But it's the other products of the combustion process that worry me.

And, welcome to the Forum Hoghide.

And also, Zep, if you're watching this thread, nice job of building in that heater I don't want you to use. Do you have a high altitude orifice since you live between 5 and 6,000'? I know no one has probably asked about your orifice in a while.

Gene
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Old 12-20-2008, 04:17 PM   #10
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Gene,

Good information from you and others, and safety when using combustion type heaters is not to be understated.

I'm curoius though. After reading the following sentence in your post above:

"I know lots of people use catalytic heaters and no dead people have reported problems on the Forum."

Is there a special thread for Airstreamers not currently living?

Sorry....It just made me bust out laughing....

Kevin
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Old 12-21-2008, 07:37 AM   #11
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Quote:
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Gene,

I'm curoius though. After reading the following sentence in your post above:

"I know lots of people use catalytic heaters and no dead people have reported problems on the Forum."

Is there a special thread for Airstreamers not currently living?

Sorry....It just made me bust out laughing....

Kevin
Kevin.

They belong to the other WBCCI.

WE BECAME COLLECTIVELY CLOSELY INDISPOSED.

Andy
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Old 12-21-2008, 08:31 AM   #12
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Quote:
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Is there a special thread for Airstreamers not currently living?
Yes, "Night of the Living Thread".

Gene
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Old 12-21-2008, 12:37 PM   #13
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Andy and Gene.......


TOO GOOD...

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